NationMaster - Encyclopedia: David Alan Grier

David Alan Grier (born June 30, 1955) is an American actor and comedian famous for his work on the Emmy Award winning sketch comedy show In Living Color. Grier is number 94 on Comedy Central's list of the 100 Greatest Stand-ups of All Time. June 30 is the 181st day of the year (182nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1955 (MCMLV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Nickname: Motto: Speramus Meliora; Resurget Cineribus (Latin for, We Hope For Better Things; It Shall Rise From the Ashes) Location in Wayne County, Michigan Coordinates: Country United States State Michigan County Wayne County Settled 1701 Incorporation 1806 Government - Type Strong Mayor-Council - Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick Area - City 143. ... June 30 is the 181st day of the year (182nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1955 (MCMLV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Actors in period costume sharing a joke whilst waiting between takes during location filming. ... A comedian, or comic, is an entertainer who amuses an audience by making them laugh. ... An Emmy Award. ... This article does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... In Living Color was an American sketch comedy television series which ran on the FOX Network from April 15, 1990 to August 23, 1994. ... Comedy Central is an American cable television and satellite television channel in the United States. ... This list of the 100 greatest stand-ups of all time is according to Comedy Central, and was aired in 2004. ...

Biography

Early life

Grier was born in Detroit, Michigan to William H. Grier, co-author of the book Black Rage. He graduated from Detroit's premier high school, Cass Tech and received a BA from the University of Michigan, and an MFA from the Yale School of Drama. Immediately after graduating, he landed the role of Jackie Robinson in the short-lived Broadway musical The First, directed by Martin Charnin and written by Joel Siegel. Nickname: Motto: Speramus Meliora; Resurget Cineribus (Latin for, We Hope For Better Things; It Shall Rise From the Ashes) Location in Wayne County, Michigan Coordinates: Country United States State Michigan County Wayne County Settled 1701 Incorporation 1806 Government - Type Strong Mayor-Council - Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick Area - City 143. ... In the USA, black rage refers to the innovative defense proposed, but not used, for the Colin Ferguson mass murder trial. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... A B.A. issused as a certificate Bachelor of Arts (B.A., BA or A.B.), from the Latin Artium Baccalaureus is an undergraduate bachelors degree awarded for either a course or a program in the liberal arts or the sciences, or both. ... The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (UM, U of M or U-M) is a coeducational public research university in the state of Michigan. ... In the United States, a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) is a terminal graduate degree in an area of visual, plastic, literary or performing arts typically requiring two to three years of study beyond the bachelor level. ... Yale School of Drama traces its roots to the Yale Dramatic Association, the second oldest college theatre association in the country, founded in 1900. ... Jack Roosevelt Jackie Robinson (January 31, 1919 â€“ October 24, 1972) became the first African-American Major League Baseball player of the modern era in 1947. ... Broadway theatre[1] is the most prestigious form of professional theatre in the U.S., as well as the most well known to the general public and most lucrative for the performers, technicians and others involved in putting on the shows. ... The Fantasticks is the longest-running musical in history. ... The First was a short-lived 1981 Broadway musical based on the life of Brooklyn Dodgers second baseman Jackie Robinson, the first African-American to play major league baseball in the 20th century. ... Martin Charnin (b. ... Joel E. Siegel (born July 7, 1943) is an American film critic for the ABC morning news show Good Morning America. ...

Career

Grier was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical and won the Theatre World Award for The First. He later starred as James "Thunder" Early in the hit Broadway musical Dreamgirls. Grier made his his film debut in 1983 in Streamers, directed by Robert Altman. He won the Golden Lion for Best Actor at the Venice Film Festival for the film. He also appeared in the Negro Ensemble Company production A Soldier's Play and reprised his role in the film version A Soldier's Story. Although primarily known for his dramatic work, Grier began to shift towards comedy, making memorable appearances in the cult films Amazon Women on the Moon and I'm Gonna Git You Sucka. Keenan Ivory Wayans, the director of Sucka, cast Grier in his new variety show In Living Color. It became a ratings hit and won an Emmy for Oustanding Variety Series. Grier became a popular cast member through his characters, which ranged from hyperactive children to crotchety old men. Among his prominent characters were obnoxious, megaphone-blaring shop teacher Al MacAfee, the elderly Mr. Brooks, whose autumn years are a never-ending verbal battle with his wife, Calhoun Tubbs, a blues musician with very limited creativity, a member of Funky Finger Productions, a production company with more ambition than resources, and, most famously, flamboyant and proud homosexual Antoine Merriweather in the recurring sketch 'Men On Film'. He also played Rev. Leon Lonnie Love on the TV series Martin. After his success on the show, Grier began appearing in comedies such as Boomerang (as Eddie Murphy's shy friend Gerard) Blankman (with Damon Wayans and as a policeman whose car is memorably crushed by stampeding elephants in Jumanji. Grier also gave a strong dramatic performance as an abusive father in Rusty Cundieff's horror anthology Tales from the Hood. What is popularly called the Tony Award (formally, the Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre) is an annual award celebrating achievements in live American theater, including musical theater, primarily honoring productions on Broadway in New York. ... The Theatre World Award is an American honor given annually to an actor or an actress in recognition of an outstanding breakout performance in their New York City stage debut. ... The First was a short-lived 1981 Broadway musical based on the life of Brooklyn Dodgers second baseman Jackie Robinson, the first African-American to play major league baseball in the 20th century. ... Dreamgirls is a Broadway musical, which opened on December 20, 1981 at the Imperial Theatre on Broadway. ... Streamers is a 1983 film by Robert Altman. ... Robert Bernard Altman (February 20, 1925 â€“ November 20, 2006) was an American film director known for making films that are highly naturalistic, but with a stylized perspective. ... The Golden Lion (it: Leone dOro) is the name of the highest prize given to a film at the Biennale Venice Film Festival. ... The Venice Film Festival (it: Mostra Internazionale dArte Cinematografica) is the oldest Film Festival in the World (began in the 1932) and takes place every year in late August/early September on the Lido di Venezia in the historic Palazzo del Cinema on the Lungomare Marconi, in Venice, Italy. ... The Negro Ensemble Company is a New York City-based theater company. ... A Soldiers Play was a Pulitzer Prize-winning drama written by Charles Fuller in 1982. ... The worst thing you can do in this part of the country is pay too much attention to the death of a Negro under mysterious circumstances. ... A cult film is a movie that attracts a small but devoted group of obsessive fans or one that has remained popular over successive years amongst a small group of followers. ... Amazon Women on the Moon is a 1987 film written by comedy duo Michael Barrie and Jim Mulholland. ... Im Gonna Git You Sucka is a 1988 comedy feature film written, directed by and starring Keenen Ivory Wayans. ... Keenen Ivory Wayans (born June 8, 1958 in New York City, New York, USA) is an American actor, comedian, director and writer. ... A variety show is a show with a variety of acts, often including music and comedy skits, especially on television. ... In Living Color was an American sketch comedy television series which ran on the FOX Network from April 15, 1990 to August 23, 1994. ... An Emmy Award. ... Calhoun Tubbs was a fictional blues singer/songwriter played by David Alan Grier on the hit sketch comedy show In Living Color. ... Martin is a common given and family name in most European languages. ... Boomerang is a 1992 comedy-drama romance film, written by Eddie Murphy, and directed by Reginald Hudlin. ... For the article on the baseball player Eddie Murphy, see Eddie Murphy (baseball player). ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article may require cleanup. ... Damon Wayans as Michael Kyle alongside Tisha Campbell-Martin on My Wife and Kids. ... Jumanji is a 1995 feature film directed by Joe Johnston and based on Chris Van Allsburgs popular 1982 book, Jumanji. ... This article needs to be wikified. ...

After the cancellation of In Living Color, Grier starred in the short-lived sitcoms The Preston Episodes, Damon (with In Living Color co-star Damon Wayans) and DAG. He began doing stand-up comedy and was an instant success. He hosted the Comedy Central series Premium Blend. He also returned to Broadway in the musical A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. In 2002, Grier joined the cast of the improv-based ABC sitcom and Bonnie Hunt vehicle Life with Bonnie which ran only two seasons. During this time, he continued to appear in comedy films but also returned to drama in the films BAADASSSSS! and The Woodsman. He starred in his own Comedy Central stand-up special The Book of David: The Cult Figure's Manifesto. He is also a frequent guest on the Comedy Central show Crank Yankers. Grier was the host of the NBC show Thank God You're Here. He will also host his own national late night syndicated TV show in early 2007. He is currently starring in the revival production of The Wiz at the La Jolla Playhouse directed by Des McAnuff. A sitcom or situation comedy is a genre of comedy performance originally devised for radio but today typically found on television. ... Damon Wayans as Michael Kyle alongside Tisha Campbell-Martin on My Wife and Kids. ... DAG was a television sitcom that aired from November 2000 to May 2001. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Comedy Central is an American cable television and satellite television channel in the United States. ... Premium Blend is a show on Comedy Central which features a well-known stand up comedian as an emcee who introduces four or five lesser known comedians looking for a big break on television. ... Hi! Youre car can speak <a href=http://immobilizer. ... The American Broadcasting Company ( oftenly known as ABC) operates television and radio networks in the United States and is also shown on basic cable in Canada. ... Bonnie Hunt Bonnie Lynn Hunt (born September 22, 1961)[1] is an American actress, comedian, writer, director and television producer. ... Life With Bonnie was an ABC television comedy airing 2002-2004 which outlined the life of Bonnie, who juggled her personal life and a TV talk show position. ... BAADASSSSS!, also known as How to Get the Mans Foot Outta Your Ass, is a 2004 biopic directed by Mario Van Peebles. ... The Woodsman is a 2004 film directed by Nicole Kassell. ... Crank Yankers is a United States TV show produced by Adam Carolla, Jimmy Kimmel and Daniel Kellison that features actual prank calls made by show regulars and celebrity guests which are re-enacted onscreen by puppets. ... NBC (a former acronym for National Broadcasting Company) is an American television network headquartered in the GE Building in New York Citys Rockefeller Center. ... Thank God Youre Here is a partially improvised comedy television program based on the Australian TV show of the same name and broadcast by NBC. The show is hosted by David Alan Grier and presided over by judge Dave Foley. ... This article is about the musical. ... La Jolla Playhouse is a not-for-profit, professional theatre-in-residence on the campus of the University of California, San Diego. ... Des McAnuff is the highly celebrated, Tony award-winning director of such hit Broadway musicals as Big River, The Whos Tommy, Titanic, and most recently, Urinetown. ...

Grier is in talks to play the lead role in The Nation, a musical based on the rise of Louis Farrakhan. Grier reports, "It has always been a dream of mine to take the contoversy filled life of Minister Farrakhan and incorporate song and intricate dance routines. I really feel this could be my career defining role."

In Living Color

Characters

Calhoun Tubbs was a fictional blues singer/songwriter played by David Alan Grier on the hit sketch comedy show In Living Color. ... Life With Bonnie was an ABC television comedy airing 2002-2004 which outlined the life of Bonnie, who juggled her personal life and a TV talk show position. ... Life With Bonnie was an ABC television comedy airing 2002-2004 which outlined the life of Bonnie, who juggled her personal life and a TV talk show position. ...

Impressions

Alfred Charles Al Sharpton Jr. ... Clarence Thomas (born June 23, 1948) is an American jurist and has been an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States since 1991. ... General Colin Luther Powell, United States Army (Ret. ... This article or section needs copy editing for grammar, style, cohesion, tone and/or spelling. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Ike Turner album cover, 1963 Izear Luster Turner (born November 5 1931) is an African American musician (piano, guitar), bandleader, talent scout and record producer, best known for his work with his former wife Tina Turner. ... There are several people named Joe Jackson: Joe Jackson, musician Shoeless Joe Jackson, baseball player Joseph Jackson, father and manager of the Jackson 5 Joe Jackson, football player This is a disambiguation page, a list of pages that otherwise might share the same title. ... Leonard Simon Nimoy (born March 26, 1931) is an American actor, film director, poet, musician and photographer. ... Marion Barry Marion Shepilov Barry, Jr. ... Maya Angelou (born Marguerite Johnson April 4, 1928[1]) is an American poet, memoirist, actress and an important figure in the American Civil Rights Movement. ... Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958), commonly known as MJ as well as the King of Pop, is an American musician, entertainer, and pop icon whose successful career and controversial personal life have been a part of pop culture for the last three decades. ... Michael Winslow (born September 6, 1958 in Spokane, Washington) is an American actor and comedian known as the Man of 10,000 Sound Effects for his ability to make realistic sound effects using only his voice. ... For other persons named Muhammad Ali, see Muhammad Ali (disambiguation). ... Ray Charles was the stage name of Ray Charles Robinson (September 23, 1930 â€“ June 10, 2004). ... Rodney King Rodney Glen King (born April 2, 1965 in Sacramento, California) is an African-American taxi driver who became famous after his violent arrest by officers of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) was videotaped by a bystander, George Holliday. ... David Adkins (born November 10, 1956), who uses the stage name Sinbad, is an American stand-up comedian and actor. ...

Loveline

He is often referred to as the third host of the radio show Loveline, as he is a frequent and popular guest. Grier's last appearance on Loveline was April 16, 2006^[1]. On his MySpace, Grier posted in a blog... Adam Carolla and Dr. Drew, in a guest appearance on Dawsons Creek Loveline is a syndicated radio call-in program in the United States, Canada and Mexico, offering medical and relationship advice to listeners, often with the assistance of guests, including actors and members of popular bands. ... April 16 is the 106th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (107th in leap years). ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... MySpace is a social networking website offering an interactive, user-submitted network of friends, personal profiles, blogs, groups, photos, music, and videos. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

Drew Pinsky (born September 4, 1958 as David Drew Pinsky) is a board-certified physician and addiction medicine specialist, best known as co-host of the nationally syndicated radio talk show Loveline. ...

The Adam Carolla Show

Grier has made many guest appearances on the Adam Carolla Show(97.1 FreeFM), usually to plug his improv performances and have fun with the gang. One of his recurring bits is where he enacts a heavy-set black woman named Peanut who does a terrible job answering the phones at FreeFM.

References

External links

Categories: 1955 births | African-American actors | American character actors | American comedians | American film actors | American impressionists (entertainers) | American stage actors | American stand-up comedians | American television actors | Living people | People from Detroit | University of Michigan alumni | Yale University alumni The Internet Movie Database (IMDb) is an online database of information about movies, actors, television shows, production crew personnel, and video games. ... NNDB, ostensibly standing for Notable Names Database, produced by Soylent Communications, is an online database of biographical details of notable people. ...

Contents

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